AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOW ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS IN TECHNICAL COLLEGES: A PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Vocational and technical education is a type of schooling that provides students with the knowledge, abilities, and mindsets required to succeed in a specific line of work. According to Wenrich and Wenrich (2017), the term “vocational education” refers to a broad range of careers that are considered. According to them, “vocational education” refers to any type of vocational or technical training or retraining provided as part of a program designed to prepare individuals for gainful employment as semi-skilled or skilled workers, technicians, or sub-professionals in emerging or recognized occupations. This training or retraining can take place in schools or classes, and it is monitored and controlled by the general public. Agriculture, home economics, and commerce
According to Wenrich & Wenrich, jobs in this category include industrial education and business education. According to Olaitan (2016), vocational and technical education is the part of education that focuses on skill acquisition through a type of training based on the application of mathematical and scientific knowledge to a specific field for the purpose of self-actualization and development.
According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2015), vocational and technical education are “those aspects of the education process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding, and knowledge relating to occupation in various sectors of economic and social life.” This is a definition.
defines vocational and technical education as “those aspects of the educational process that, in addition to general education, involve the study of technologies and related sciences, as well as the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, and understanding.” The Federal Republic of Nigeria believes that technical and vocational education is an essential component of general education; a means of preparing for occupational fields and effective participation in the world of work; an element of lifelong learning and preparation for responsible citizenship; an instrument for promoting environmentally responsible and sustainable development; and a strategy for reducing poverty.
In Nigeria, vocational and technical education is divided into three levels, which are as follows:
(1)
(2) vocational education, also known as job-specific education, is provided at technical colleges and vocational centers.
(3) Postsecondary education obtained through institutions such as polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education (technical)
The Federal Republic of Nigeria outlines the following goals for vocational and technical education in her National Policy of Education (2015):
(1) Providing trained manpower in applied sciences, technology, and business, particularly at the craft, advanced craft, and technical levels; (2) Providing technical knowledge and vocational skills required for agricultural, commercial, and economic development; and (3) Training and imparting necessary skills to economically self-sufficient individuals.
A required component The development of employability skills is a goal of VTE. The individual who takes advantage of the opportunity to receive a vocational and technical education is the primary beneficiary of the education because he or she will acquire the vocational and technical skills that will enable him or her to be engaged in productive work either for himself or for an employer. This is because he or she will become qualified to perform the work. In addition to allowing a person to continue working, the acquisition of vocational and technical skills during training increases the recipient’s overall productivity as well as their earning potential (Uwadiae, 2019). Increasing one’s employability and having greater job mobility are two examples. other advantages. People who have received occupational training for specific occupations have a much better chance of finding work and are also less likely to experience long-term unemployment due to a lack of specialized occupational skills. People who have received vocational and technical training can apply their skills to a wide range of applications, allowing them to quickly change jobs in search of better opportunities. Workers with such training have greater job mobility than workers without such training. According to Uwaidae (2019), receiving a vocational and technical education also enables a person to make intelligent use of technological products, use new technologies, develop superior entrepreneurial skills, and become a more inventive worker. Even If the primary benefit of VTE is that it improves the individual, the community or country as a whole benefits from it. People who are dissatisfied with traditional modes of education because they are too disconnected from the realities of the working world may benefit from the training options made available through VTE, which helps to reduce the overall dropout rate. A society with a lower overall unemployment rate also has a higher rate of VTE. In a country like Nigeria, where unemployment is the norm in almost every sector of the economy, VTE is the most effective method of addressing the issue of unemployment. Students may be taught marketable skills through VTE, increasing their chances of finding work once they graduate. Complete high school. VTE promotes technical and industrial development by supplying qualified individuals capable of developing and applying technologies for the benefit of industry and economic growth. Agricultural, technical, industrial, commercial, paramedical, and home economics job clusters are just a few examples of how vocational and technical education can help (VTE). VTE is a method of meeting the nation’s manpower needs. Nigeria is home to a variety of technical institutions, one of which is technical colleges. Technical colleges, according to Okoro (2018), are the most important vocational institutions in Nigeria. This is because technical colleges provide comprehensive vocational education with the goal of preparing students for admission into a university. variety of jobs. Technical colleges offer courses in mechanical trades, computer craft practice, electrical engineering trades, building trades, wood trades, hospitality and textile trades, printing trades, beauty culture trades, business trades, and a variety of other subjects. Technical colleges train people to work in a variety of technical and vocational disciplines at various levels (operatives, craftsmen, and master craftsmen), as well as to produce a well-trained technical workforce at these levels. Students who graduate from technical institutions are awarded NABTEB credentials such as the National technical certificate (NTC), the National business certificate (NBC), the Advanced National Technical Certificate, and the Advance National Business Certificate (ANBC). Completing one’s junior high school education is frequently required in order to to enroll in technical schools (JSC). In addition to their performance in mathematics and science, a candidate’s ability to demonstrate aptitude in the technical courses they take could be a criterion for admission. Technical colleges, which provide job-specific training within the framework of traditional secondary education, develop skilled labor (craftsmen). The goal of the nation’s technical institutions’ vocational education programs is to cultivate skilled tradespeople who can contribute to the country’s continued economic, industrial, and technological growth. Despite the need for skilled laborers, the number of students enrolling in technical institutions has been quite low. Nigeria’s economic situation and value system are most likely to blame for the relatively low number of students enrolling in technical institutes. White-collar Employment opportunities are more desirable than manual labor jobs among Nigerians. This is due to the liberal education of a British-style that Nigerians receive as a legacy of the country’s colonial past. Academic disciplines such as medicine, accounting, and business are valued more highly in Nigeria than academic programs that emphasize physical labor. Despite the fact that manual jobs contribute to the country’s Gross National Product (GNP), white-collar jobs are more desirable. White-collar jobs are preferred over blue-collar jobs. The societal attitude toward VTE programs is influenced by the economic and value structures in place. Children in Nigeria who are not particularly bright or who come from poor families People from disadvantaged backgrounds are frequently led to believe that technical or vocational education is their only option for school. This problem may have its roots in Nigeria’s National Policy on Education’s inadequate provision for technical colleges. According to Okoro (2019), the National Policy on Education from 1981 gave less priority to vocational and technical education and placed unnecessary barriers in the way of students who chose to continue a vocational-technical program while in secondary school. According to him, the National Policy on Education specifies the construction of trade centers, technical colleges, and other similar vocational centers to absorb students who graduated from junior secondary school but were unable to continue their education at the senior secondary level.
This is commonly interpreted to mean that after junior secondary school, students would be divided into two groups: the privileged group, which would go on to senior secondary school (from which universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education draw their students), and the underprivileged group, which would go on to trade centers and technical colleges, with virtually no prospects of furthering their education beyond the technical college or trade college. This is the most common interpretation of the statement. Even if students would have done better at technical colleges and trade schools, parents and students would still prefer senior secondary schools over technical colleges and trade schools because of the senior secondary school’s higher level of prestige.
The In 2004, National Policy was examined with the goal of repositioning technical colleges as part of the intervention actions taken in response to the situation. It requires that children who complete junior secondary school be enrolled in senior secondary school, technical colleges, out-of-school vocational training centers, and apprenticeship programs. According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004), the screening shall be based on the results of tests to determine academic ability and vocational interest, with a transition ratio of 50:20:20:10 as much as possible. Streaming will also be based on the results of academic ability and vocational interest tests. This was a strategy to put technical colleges in a more equitable position than they were previously.
has been seen by the public; however, the policy provision continues to see technical colleges as education for students who are disadvantaged and lack talent.
Furthermore, as part of the intervention efforts to strengthen programs at technical colleges. The federal government also transformed technical college programs into full secondary education. The new six-year programs include senior school science as well as normal and advanced craft programs at the senior secondary level. This was done in an attempt to recruit new students. Elementary school students can now enroll in the junior college portion of technical colleges. This is done to increase the likelihood of technical success. Colleges will accept high-quality applicants and provide students with an earlier start on their vocational and technical education. In conjunction with this development, the United States government renamed technical institutions federal scientific and technology colleges. However, a lack of students enrolling in technical institutes remains a problem. Despite the government’s involvement, enrollment numbers remain disappointingly low. Because of the low enrollment, a significant amount of resources—financial, material, and human—have been squandered. This is the most significant consequence or effect of low enrollment. Investing in one’s education is an excellent way to maximize one’s human capital. By investing heavily in technical institutions, society foregoes some of its current resources. consumption in order to provide its members with the knowledge and training they need to contribute more effectively in the future. Because of investments in technical institutions, the same amount of resources will be unavailable for investment in other sectors of the economy. As long as the number of people enrolling in technical schools remains low, the resources invested by the government in the development of technical institutions will be squandered. Aside from wasting government investments and resources, the few students who are admitted to technical institutions do not meet the required academic standards. They enroll in the technical college system despite having little to no interest in the subjects offered. There, students are taught. As a result, some students may decide not to continue their education and may end up working as street vendors, okada riders, or engaging in other forms of criminal activity, despite the fact that the goods’ certificate may be of little or no relevance to them. Nobody should be surprised that the world has shrunk to the size of a hamlet while technological advances are being made in fields such as manufacturing and service work. This technological advancement has also reached Nigeria. Nigeria is not losing ground. People must be educated in order to be qualified for the new opportunities that are emerging in their fields. of manufacturing and service vocations. Some of these jobs require not only technical expertise, but also a diverse educational background and a high level of expertise in specific areas of technology. In order for Nigeria to advance technologically, qualified individuals must be educated in accordance with VTE concepts. If there aren’t enough students enrolling in technical schools, the industry won’t be able to produce enough workers to keep up with the rapid growth of technology. Another effect of this low enrollment rate is an increase in unemployment. In Nigeria, there are a lot of people looking for work. This is due, in part, to individuals’ lack of knowledge and skills.
This will enable them to accept available jobs or to work for themselves. Through the use of technical colleges, individuals can learn the skills they need to fill current job openings and become self-employed. This would result in a decrease in the amount of unemployment and youth unrest that characterize Nigerian society. The low enrollment numbers and the consequences they have had in Oyo State have remained a source of concern for educators working in technical colleges. As a result, the goal of this study is to identify the factors that contribute to low enrollment in technical colleges: a teacher’s perception
1.2 Declaration of the problem
Because the government is funding technical colleges and working to ensure continuous improvement in technical college programs, there should be an increase in the number of students enrolling in technical colleges. This will enable the country to produce the skilled laborers and artisans required for technological advancement. Despite this, the majority of Lagos’ technical institutions have a very low enrollment rate. Because of the low number of students enrolled in technical schools, it is likely that the resources invested in these institutions will be squandered.
It is expected that the number of students enrolling in vocational programs and attending technical institutions will increase.
as a result of enhancements and improvements made to technical colleges. The few students who are fortunate enough to gain admission to technical institutes lack the necessary qualifications. According to Olaitan (2018), people enroll in the technical college system despite having little to no interest in the programs that are available to them. Students who have no interest in the vocational programs offered at technical colleges will continue to be admitted, resulting in an increase in the number of students dropping out. As a result, the goal of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to low student enrollment in technical institutions. One of these aspects is professors’ perspectives.
1.3 Overarching Goal
The study’s overarching goal is to look into the factors that contribute to low student enrollment in technical colleges: teachers’ perceptions. The following criteria will be used to guide the research:
i. Determine whether students’ interests influence their enrollment in technical college.
ii. Determine whether a lack of financial resources affects students’ enrollment in technical college.
iii. Determine whether insufficient infrastructure is influencing student enrollment in technical college.
iv. Determine whether parental and socioeconomic status influence students’ enrollment in technical college.
1.4 Research Suggestions
The following are the study’s research questions:
i. Determine whether students’ interests influence their enrollment in technical college.
ii. Determine whether the lack of financial resources has an impact.
Students enroll in technical school.
iii. Determine whether insufficient infrastructure is influencing student enrollment in technical college.
iv. Determine whether parental and socioeconomic status influence students’ enrollment in technical college.
1.5 Importance of the Research
The anticipated outcome, once the societal attitude is identified, will benefit the Lagos State Ministry of Education. It will allow the ministry to identify those who are responsible for students fleeing technical colleges. This will allow them to develop strategies for raising awareness among parents and students about the needs and benefits of being a craftsman.
The anticipated outcome of the economic factors and value system will benefit the industry.
and the labor employers. It will make them aware of the importance of participating in the funding of technical colleges and craftsmen training programs. The benefit is that society will recognize the value of craftsmen to themselves and society.
Individuals and society will benefit from the intervention measures required to improve student enrollment. It will make them realize that being a craftsman will allow them to acquire skills that will allow them to be highly employable and self-employed. The benefit is that the unemployment and dropout rates will be lower, and the government’s resources (both material and human) will be used more efficiently.
1.6 The scope of the research
The study will determine whether students’ interests influence their enrollment in classes.
Technical school. The study will also look into whether the lack of financial resources affects students’ enrollment in technical college. The study will also look into whether inadequate infrastructure affects student enrollment in technical colleges. Finally, the study will look into whether parental and socioeconomic status influence students’ enrollment in technical college. As a result, this study is restricted to Oyo State.
1.7 Limitations of the research
The researchers encountered minor constraints while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. Inadequate funds tend to impede the researcher’s efficiency in sourcing relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection process (internet, questionnaire, and interview), which is why the researcher chose a moderate sample size. even more so,
The researcher will conduct this study alongside other academic work. As a result, the time spent researching will be reduced.
1.8 Definitions of terms
Enrollment: the process of enrolling or being enrolled.
Technical colleges are a type of community college that offers courses in a variety of practical subjects such as information technology, applied sciences, engineering, agriculture, and secretarial skills.
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